Business is Great

Start and Grow Enterprise

Offering free business support to new businesses in Gloucestershire, Start and Grow Enterprise is a University of Gloucestershire project part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Start and Grow Enterprise supports the growth of Gloucestershire-based entrepreneurs and start-ups (trading up to 3 years) through free training, events, networks and resources. Please visit www.startandgrowenterprise.uk to find out more and to sign up.

Whats on

A number of events are scheduled for the Stroud District, in collaboration with Make it Studios. For the latest listing visit: www.makeitstudios.co.uk/whatson

Broadband

Fastershire is a partnership between Gloucestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council, established in 2011, to bring faster broadband to the two counties, with funding from central government’s Broadband Delivery UK matched by the local authorities.

The Fastershire vision states that “by the end of 2019/20 all residents and businesses in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire will be able to order the broadband service they need and a high percentage will be using faster broadband to do more online, boost business growth and achieve their potential”

As the conduit for public funding to overcome market failure, to provide superfast broadband, support has been broken down into stages as funding became available.

Phase 1 of the project, included identifying where commercial providers were committed to investing and procuring BT to bring the county to circa 90% coverage.

The current phase has seen Gigaclear contracted to extend fibre coverage across the rural areas of the county, including Stroud District. On the ground already the Gigaclear build sequence works through to 2019 and once complete should see coverage in the district rise to almost 97%.

The Fastershire team have already identified further funding to extend coverage while also focusing on encouraging the adoption and exploitation of broadband.

For businesses the Marches & Gloucestershire Business Broadband Grant is now available. The grant, up to £25K per business, can provide up to 100% of the capital installation cost to deliver high speed connectivity.

The Fastershire website www.fastershire.com contains full details of the various programmes and also allows visitors to search by premise to find out what the plans are for particular areas.

Do More Online

The Do More Online campaign aims to help micro businesses and sole traders find customers, be more efficient, and sell their goods and services online. www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/domoreonline

Festomane

The Festival of Manufacturing and Engineering, Digital & Cyber (Festomane) has grown from its Stroud roots to become a celebration of Gloucestershire’s rich heritage and modern-day strengths in manufacturing and engineering.

Festomane aims to help build a strong manufacturing and engineering economy throughout the county by providing businesses with the opportunity to showcase their company and by inspiring young people’s interest in science and engineering.

Stroud District Council has supported Festomane since the beginning. The Stroud district has been a powerhouse of innovation and cutting edge technology for hundreds of years and the sector continues to flourish, employing twenty-four percent of the local workforce.

Target 2020

Target 2020 is a business energy efficiency programme to help small and medium-sized businesses identify and reduce their energy costs and impact on the environment, through the installation of energy efficiency measures.

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund and run by Severn Wye Energy Agency (SWEA) the Gloucestershire Target 2020 Project will support 300 County based enterprises over three years.

The project offers, expert energy efficiency advice including an onsite energy survey, analysis of historical energy use, an advice report presented onsite and help to create an action plan.

Grants, subject to eligibility criteria, are available that can cover 35% of the installation costs of energy saving measures.

Fredericks Foundation

The Fredericks Foundation provide loans and business support for those that have failed to secure funding, for all or part of their requirement, from mainstream lenders, such as banks and building societies.

Businesses can be at any stage: you may require money to start-up; capital to expand your business; or funds to bridge a gap. Whether you are a sole trader, in a partnership or have a limited company you may be eligible for a loan. Loans can range from £2500 to £35,000.

Gloucestershire Enterprise

Gloucestershire Enterprise Ltd (GEL) provide high quality training and business support services to individuals and businesses in Gloucestershire. A member of the National Enterprise Network, GEL provide a comprehensive range of affordable and accessible support with high levels of customer service. Support includes business advice sessions, mentoring and a range of business start up programmes.

Stroud District based individuals and businesses can currently access subsidised support from GEL through funding provided by Stroud District Council. For more information please visit www.glosenterprise.co.uk

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK 's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Non-profit making and non-party political the FSB was formed in 1974 and now has 215,000 members.